Intel Core i9-12900K (Alder Lake)

The Intel Core i9-12900K (Alder Lake), released in November 2021, is a high-performance desktop processor from Intel’s 12th generation lineup. This processor utilizes the LGA1700 socket and is built on Intel’s advanced 10nm process, branded as Intel 7.

Key specifications include:

• Core configuration: It features a hybrid architecture with 8 Performance cores (P-cores) and 8 Efficient cores (E-cores), making a total of 16 cores. It supports 24 threads, with P-cores handling heavy tasks and E-cores managing background processes.
• Clock speeds: The base clock speed is 3.2GHz, with a maximum turbo frequency reaching up to 5.2GHz.
• Cache: It comes with 14MB of L2 cache and 30MB of L3 cache, providing fast data access and improved performance.

Memory and connectivity:

• Memory support: The i9-12900K supports both DDR5 and DDR4 memory, with maximum memory speeds of 4800MHz for DDR5 and 3200MHz for DDR4, and a total capacity of up to 128GB across dual channels.
• PCIe lanes: It supports PCIe 5.0 and PCIe 4.0, offering 16+4 lanes for high-speed connectivity with graphics cards and other peripherals.

Graphics and additional features:

• Integrated graphics: The processor includes Intel UHD Graphics 770, with a GPU core speed of up to 1,550MHz, suitable for basic graphical tasks and light gaming.
• Hyper-Threading and Optane support: It features Hyper-Threading technology for improved multitasking and supports Intel Optane memory for enhanced storage performance.

Thermal and power characteristics:

• TDP: The processor’s thermal design power ranges from 125W to 241W, indicating robust cooling requirements for optimal performance.

Performance benchmarks:

• Cinebench R23: It scores approximately 2044 in single-core performance and 27746 in multi-core performance, reflecting its powerful processing capabilities for both single-threaded and multi-threaded applications.

The Intel Core i9-12900K is packaged as a standard retail unit without an included cooler, allowing users to choose a cooling solution that fits their specific needs. This processor is ideal for gamers, content creators, and power users seeking top-tier performance and advanced features.